From busser to founder, Débora Mendonça builds her own business

Débora Mendonça, founder and CEO of DM Business Solutions in Winter Park, left senior restaurant operations leadership to launch her own consulting firm. Her story reflects a broader shift as more professionals move from corporate roles into entrepreneurship.

Why it matters: - Débora Mendonça’s move from corporate operations to entrepreneurship reflects a broader trend of professionals leaving secure jobs to start businesses. - Her focus on operations, team development and systems matters for small businesses trying to grow without losing control. - Americans filed nearly 5.9 million new business applications in 2025, up 8% from the year before, and consulting has become one of the fastest-growing landing spots for former corporate workers.

What happened: - Débora Mendonça, founder and CEO of DM Business Solutions, left senior operations leadership at The Glass Knife to start her own company. - Mendonça built her career in hospitality after immigrating to the United States from Brazil. - She started in entry-level restaurant roles, including bussing tables, before moving into senior operational leadership. - Her career at The Glass Knife included oversight of multi-million-dollar operations. - DM Business Solutions now helps business owners strengthen operations, develop teams and build systems for sustainable growth.

The details: - Mendonça said she left corporate security after realizing she was building someone else’s vision instead of her own. - Her consulting approach centers on two principles she calls non-negotiable: empathy and accountability. - Mendonça said empathy without accountability is just being nice, and accountability without empathy is just being hard on people. - She said the best-run businesses are led by people who hold both at the same time. - Mendonça said her perspective comes from starting as a busser and understanding what it feels like when decisions affect workers who are never consulted. - She has studied at NYU School of Professional Studies and completed Harvard Business School’s CORe program. - Mendonça also holds certification in human rights education. - Her public work includes involvement with the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce, Quest, Inc. and the American Heart Association. - She speaks publicly about leadership, resilience and operational strategy. - The source includes an Influential Women profile and the company website.

Between the lines: - Mendonça’s story is being positioned as both a personal career pivot and a business lesson about leadership style. - Her emphasis on empathy suggests a service-driven consulting brand, while her focus on accountability signals an operational edge. - The message for young women in business is direct: get clear on what you want, protect your values and treat mistakes as information. - Mendonça said resilience is not about always being right, but about being honest enough to get better.

What's next: - Mendonça is continuing to grow DM Business Solutions as a consulting firm focused on operational strength and sustainable growth. - She is expected to keep speaking publicly on leadership and resilience. - Her advisory work and community involvement suggest an ongoing presence in the Winter Park business community.

The bottom line: - Mendonça turned a career in restaurant operations into a platform for helping other businesses run better, with a leadership model built on empathy and accountability.